Hobart City Council to cut Taste of Tasmania funding as infighting costs sponsorship deal

Constant infighting among Hobart councillors and aldermen cost the Taste of Tasmania a potentially lucrative sponsorship deal, a council committee meeting has been told.

Only 21 per cent of visitors to the 2018-19 Taste of Tasmania were from Hobart. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

INFIGHTING among Hobart councillors and aldermen cost the Taste of Tasmania a potentially lucrative sponsorship deal, it was revealed on Wednesday night.

Sydney-Hobart major race sponsor Rolex was unimpressed not only by the council’s disorganisation, but also “who we were”, according to one councillor.

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The sponsorship loss, among others, was revealed at a Hobart City Council community, culture and events committee meeting, which decided to slash funding for the festival from the $1.6 million it received for 2018-19 to $1.1 million for 2019-20.

The committee endorsed a three-year commitment to the festival with a scaled reduction in funding from $1.1 million to $1 million the following year and $900,000 in the third year.

In comparison, the council provided $850,000 to the event in 2017-18.

The cuts come as an SGS economics and planning report showed the 2018-19 festival generated $46.9 into the Tasmanian economy, with the bulk of that — $26.8 million — going to Hobart.

But the report also showed only 21 per cent of visitors to the Taste were from Hobart as interstate visitors increased and the festival had become a strong tourist destination.

The motion was put forward by Alderman Peter Sexton, who reminded the committee about the damage the yearly infighting had done to the Taste of Tasmania brand.

“We were told categorically by a potential sponsor, Rolex, that it wasn’t only our disorganisation in terms of our planning, it was who we were,” he said.

“It was the racket that we made and embarrassment we caused the event when we started fighting one another about it every year.

“My point is if we agree to a three-year budget, hand it over, stay right out of it, we make no comment, and if we do, it’s favourable.”

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the three-year commitment gave the festival certainty.

“It [Taste] might look slightly different but we are trying to find a balance here because we can’t keep subsidising the biggest and best without sending a message to other partners that they really have to step up,” she said

The council has requested a cash grant of $250,000 to $500,000. A State Government spokesman said the request would be considered “in the context of our broader events strategy”.